[Rumours]

My answer:
They are ALL the most talented, because they are talented in their own ways.

Stevie cannot play instruments that well.....She knows it.....We know it......She has said "I have no idea what I'm doing". She bangs away at the piano and has no idea what she's playing......BUT, it's enough to get by and write her songs. Same thing with the guitar, it's enough to get by and write her songs. She can and does contribute on some songs with these instruments (not so much of Fleetwood Mac's songs, but her solo songs) and it does not sound bad. But she is not in Fleetwood Mac for her playing abilities (they don't need her to be able to play) and she has a band for her solo stuff as well. She fiddles, and it's amazing to me that she is able to write these great songs, when she really can't play these instruments that well. Her TALENT lies in her songwriting abilities and the connection that it makes with people, and her TALENT lies in her stage presence and the production and drama she puts on, and yes, in my opinion, her TALENT is also in her voice......while she does not sing like she used to (not many performers DO sound like they did THIRTY freaking years ago), she can still captivate MANY with her singing and over-all performance, myself included.

Lindsey's TALENT is in his unbelievable guitar playing, and his producing abilities. This is how HE captivates audiences. Lindsey is never going to give us a big production and drama on stage. Yes, his playing is jaw-dropping as far as I'm concerned, that's how he spellbinds people. Stevie does it in a different way. Lindsey's voice isn't like it used to be either. Will I say it's bad? No. But it is different. His major role in this band is not to be the greatest, most in-tune, most powerful, most beautiful singer--they don't have him for that.

Christine, INCREDIBLY TALENTED, probably because she is a trained musician, on the piano and keyboards. Vocally, you can liken her to the way heaven would sound!!! She sends chills through you with her voice. She's a wonderful writer of beautiful love songs. This is how SHE connects with people's live. Her TALENT. And she's the more down to earth one, everybody feels they could have as their good friend, to sit and shoot the breeze with. But Christine never has and never will have a jaw-dropping ability on the guitar or any other instrument, ability to produce, or EVER have a stage presence like Stevie had & still has. The band doesn't have Christine for these purposes. I totally agree with the statement about Chris being a cold fish on stage. She looks even bored and so totally not in the moment at times. Like "ok, are we done yet?".

Mick is one of the finest drummers I've ever heard. And someone was talking about the WAY that he drums. He is always like behind everyone else I guess you would say, he drums on the off-beat, that is his technique. This is his TALENT. He's unique. He's crazy!! It is also, I believe, actually some type of a learning disability, the fact that Mick plays something a certain way and then is susequently unable to exactly duplicate it again. He has said that he always had disabilities, even when he was a child and in school.
Mick is also the glue that has held (or at least tried to hold) everyone together, the permanent fixture, of the band.

John......Mick is right when he says "You're a monster, John". That's HIS TALENT in this band......monster pumping driving bass. But he can't write, never has. Doesn't produce, never has. Haven't seen him play an other instrument besides bass. And you forget about him, because he almost just disappears into the background. If ever there was a member of this band that had the LEAST amount of stage presence......it's John. But they don't have to have him putting on a big show, or writing anything profound, and singing--well, I still swear I never did hear him on Say You Love Me on The Dance tour, and I'm not sure I want to hear him sing, and I'm not real sure he can. But, they've had plenty of singers throughout the years. These things are not his talent.

Obviously, this is MY (in no way anyone else's) favorite incarnation. But Peter Green, Jeremy Spencer, Danny Kirwin, Bob Welch, Rick Vito (tears it up in concert, by the way), Billy Burnette......all great musicians and/or songwriters in their own right. Just not that big of a connection with as many people.....and not with me.

But nobody is talented at everything! To attack any of the members of this band, or to say that they have no talent or basically suck and have nothing, just because they're stronger in some aspects over other aspects is just nuts.

There are so many other things I could touch on here. No I don't think Letterman was anti-Stevie. Yeah, he poked fun here & there, but nothing was ever anti-Stevie, I hate Stevie, whatever. His beef was with the management. And they most certainly do not reflect anything about the artists themselves! Are you kidding me!??!!! Obviously, if that company represented what Stevie really was, wouldn't she still have them?? And does she? NO! She got rid of them. And why would Letterman joke about her being his "ex-wife" and have her on his show so much. He loves her! Anti-Stevie?? I just don't get that one.....

Why should Stevie need to reinvent herself? It's not her. The way she is now is how she's always been and it's her. You want her to not be her anymore? Wow, my post has gotten incredibly too long! Sorry folks!! I'll just end it here saying posters like TheTower, jwd, Johnny Stew.....are right on with all of their comments!!

Stephanie